OH,OH IT'S MAGIC

      WE WENT TO THE MAGIC VS CLIPPERS BASKETBALL GAME IN ORLANDO FOR OUR 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.  IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO A PROFESSIONAL GAME TOGETHER.  IT WAS FUN AND PRETTY EASY BECAUSE WE HAD TO BE IN ORLANDO ANYWAY.  FIRST WE HAD DINNER AT CITRUS A MAUDLIN YUPPIE RESTAURANT ON ORANGE AVENUE IN THE SHADOW OF THE WACHOVIA BUILDING.  EVERYONE EXCEPT US WAS DRESSED IN BUSINESS ATTIRE.  ALTHOUGH IT'S ORLANDO SO ALL THE MEN HAD LEFT THEIR SUIT JACKETS IN THE CAR OR OFFICE.  THE MEN WERE IN WHITE LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS AND TIES.
     CITRUS WAS VERY CORPORATE AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT.    THE FOOD WAS GOOD ALTHOUGH THE CITRUS SALAD HAD VERY FEW ORANGES(IN FLORIDA!), TWO TEENSY,WEENSY GRAPE TOMATOES(IN FLORIDA!)  AND TOO MUCH GORGONZOLA CHEESE SPRINKLED ON TOP.  MY BELOVED HUSBAND OF 25 YEARS HAD THEIR  VERSION OF PAELLA WITH POTATOES INSTEAD OF RICE.   THE SCALLOPS WERE FROM MAINE NOT FLORIDA.   IT WAS ADVERTISED AS CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN.   THE FURNITURE LOOKED LIKE OFFICE FURNITURE.  WE WERE CRAMPED AGAINST AN ORANGE WALL WITH ABSTRACT PAINTINGS ABOVE US.  THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OWNS THREE MORE IN ORLANDO.  
      AFTER THAT LITTLE SHOT OF PRETENSION, WE HEADED FOR THE AMWAY ARENA TO BE WITH THE DRESSED DOWN WHITE FOLK.  EVERYONE WAS WHITE AND PRETTY YOUNG.   EVEN THE MAGIC CHEERLEADERS AND DANCERS WERE MAINLY WHITE.  THE ONLY BLACK PEOPLE WERE THE PLAYERS AND THE SCALPERS OUTSIDE.    IT WAS A BLOW OUT BUT STILL FUN FOR US BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE ANY GAMES.  DWIGHT HOWARD GOT 22 POINTS AND THEN RESTED DURING THE FOURTH  QUARTER SO THE CLIPPERS COULD GET A FEW POINTS.  THE GAME STARTED AT 7 AND WAS OVER BY 10. THE NOSE BLEED SEATS WITH AN EXCELLENT VIEW WERE $20 JUST LIKE THE ENTREES AT CITRUS.
      MY HUSBAND  TALKED BASKETBALL WITH THE BLACK MAN NEXT TO HIM.  HE HAD BEEN A PRISON GUARD AT RIKERS ISLAND IN NYC AND NOW WORKED AT THE JAIL IN ORLANDO.  HE WAS VERY POLITE AND SAID NICE TO TALK TO YOU WHEN HE LEFT THE GAME A LITTLE EARLY.
      SO WE  SPENT A NON DISNEY DAY IN ORLAN DO FOR OUR 25TH.  IT WAS GOOD CLEAN WHITE FUN AS WE WATCHED THE PROFESSIONAL TEAMS PLAY FOR US A LA HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS.  THE ONE CONCESSION WAS A LITTLE SHOT OF HIP HOP MUSIC AS THE PLAYERS WARMED UP.  I ASSUME IT'S THE WAY MR. SCARSDALE DAVID STERN, THE WORLD'S SHORTEST COMMISSIONER OF BASKETBALL WANTS IT.  THE ONLY GREAT WHITE HOPE PLAYERS ARE IMPORTED FROM EASTERN EUROPE. IT WAS A MAGICAL AND VERY WHITE 25TH ANNIVERSARY.  IT WAS NOT VERY FLORIDA  BUT PERHAPS LIVING IN THE SWAMP WE'RE A LITTLE FLORIDAED OUT.  ACTUALLY IT WAS A GOOD CLEAN EXPENSIVE SCARSDALE EVENING.